Do action scenes have storytelling value?

A lot of effort goes into action scenes. Every punch or kick or head-butt is scripted, blocked, and executed with perfect camera focus. The actors may have martial arts training, but have to act as if they don't when the choreographer tells them to swing wide.

Action scenes require props to be constructed and sacrificed. Shattering glass, furniture and walls, cables to lift the action hero into an impossible leap, firearms and blades, and even cars come into mock-violent contact with the actors and stuntmen, and injuries do occur.

There must be a reliable payoff in revenue, or no one would put in this much effort.

However, in your experience, do action scenes contribute to the story? Do they move the plot along, or are they merely interludes? Has an action scene ever enhanced your sense of the characters' personalities and identities? Have you been impressed by an action scene's accurate detailing of a geographical or historical setting?

Unless it's Cyrano de Bergerac duelling with Valvert, an action scene has generic minimal dialogue, typically just yelling of the action hero's name.

So, what do action scenes mean to you? Don't just vote silently, please, leave a reply to explain your vote.

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Actions scenes are waste of time. 

Adds nothing to the story and propagates violence. 

Slow motion actions scenes are a headache. Pain inducing. Absolutely despise them. 

Depends on the purpose. There's an implication here that films only exist in service of a story, but films could also be visual showcases meant to entertain. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dcs0cYkiik

John Wick as a whole barely has any actual plot, the story is strictly for Keanu to move from one highly choreographed and convoluted action scene to the next. And it makes for a fantastic visual experience. 

They could also be in service of the story. Here's Edgar Wright using it to establish the lead character completely in a very quick scene. Show, don't tell. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XMuUVw7TOM

They could also be for comic value. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UQ7yvfctOU

Establish character dynamics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuk_ZZQWfEY

A tool for world-building 

hhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6UxXW5is_4

It could be the pay-off in itself. The big climactic fight could be the catharsis of the film

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK1wNmL0QLU

And, of course, they could be in the service of the plot. Early season Game of Thrones is a good example of using war and fight sequences as the plots. The stakes would feel much lower if they never showed you the war and destruction being played out to keep the lead characters on their thrones. 


Not every film needs to necessarily be in service of a larger story, and not every scene strictly needs to progress a story. A lot of time, scenes have other purposes. Yeah, the scenes are often just for cheap entertainment, which is also fine. Films are visual mediums for entertainment, whichever way they are provided.

Edited by MostlyHarmIess - 7 months ago

Originally posted by: MostlyHarmIess

They could also be in service of the story. Here's Edgar Wright using it to establish the lead character completely in a very quick scene. Show, don't tell. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XMuUVw7TOM

Literally where have you been all my IF life?? The way you've annotated this. A tech bro who is also a film bro. 💜

Again establishing lead character w/o too much exposition. 

https://youtu.be/uQMO0u-k3NM?si=Yx_GqfBpf-1cBQGq

It can also be a turning point in the story thereafter which the character is never the same. 😭
Edited the video because of violence, but In the Last of Us, when Ellie kills David.


Also, sometimes action makes the movie iCoNic, you may have never watched The Matrix but Keanu dodging bullets is a core memory. Like I literally can't be the only one who has memorized this scene like a dance choreography. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL9fnVtz_lc

I have a bone to pick with this opinion that people have wrt to games as well. "it is just action so much action so pointless"...if only I could convert people they'd know how inventive and dynamic the storytelling in action-adventure games is. Case in point, GTA4, TLOU, death stranding, god of war - the action helps to reinforce and advance the narrative. I am digressing... the point is action scenes if done intently, and for the right reasons contribute immensely to the storytelling & its emotional impact. Also, this is visual storytelling! I don't need exposition, I'll read a book instead. 

Edited by Maharani69 - 7 months ago